Dry Skies
by Nightbreeze34
Summary: I really don't want to make a summary right now


1

A quiet breeze rustled the leaves of the warriors' den, awakening Twanyleg. She yawned, and stretched her legs. She sighed and scratched behind her ear. Everything was so quiet. There was no scratchy sound of moss, or the twitching of dreaming warriors as they hunted the plump mice of greenleaf.

"Twanyleg! You awake yet?" a voice called.

The tortoiseshell stuck her head out to see who was calling her. It was Badgerclaw, her brother. "Yes, I'm awake," she replied, striding over to him. "What is it that you want now?"

"Oh, nothing serious," he meowed. "Just, well, you know that Petaltail had her kits, and she's a bit weak and, I said I would stay with her for a few days. But the problem is that Riverpaw won't be able practice. So, could you take over his training?"

Twanyleg muttered a curse under her breath. Riverpaw irritated everyone in LightningClan, but Badgerclaw admired his apprentice dearly. But, her brother was counting on her. "Yes, I'll take care of his training. But only for a few days."

"Thank you, Twanyleg. I'm sure you'll just love him," Badgerclaw purred.

"Oh, yes, he's just a bundle of joy," Twanyleg mewed. _And rude and disrespectful, _Twanyleg murmured silently.

As she began to pad away, Sorrelpatch, a white and tabby she-cat, raced to join her. The two had been best friends since they were kits and were inseparable.

"So, you got an apprentice," Sorrelpatch meowed. "And I hear that it's Riverpaw. His ceremony's coming up, isn't it?"

"Does news seriously travel that quickly or were you eavesdropping?" Twanyleg's voice was harsh but her eyes were full of amusement. She knew better than to ask this question; she already knew this answer.

"Well, maybe I was peeking in on your conversation," Sorrelpatch meowed. Twanyleg let out a _mrrow _of laughter. It was just like Sorrelpatch to be eavesdropping.

"Can't you just keep to your own self?" Twanyleg growled. "Like, maybe going on a hunting patrol or helping the elders."

Sorrelpatch groaned. "I went on a patrol this morning, and helping the elders is an apprentice's job. Besides, I'm curious and I basically have a wondering mind."

The two she-warriors hurried out into the forest, where a breeze ruffled their coats. Bare branches rattled in the wind, and Twanyleg was reminded of the warm summer seasons that were so far away. A patch of snow still remained under one of the oaks. Even though it hadn't snowed since for a moon, small patches of the white substance littered the forest floor.

Twanyleg parted her jaws as she took in the scents of the forest. She quickly picked up the scent of a vole, and dropped into a crouch, gathering her strength. The vole darted out from under a tree, and Twanyleg leapt from her hiding spot and snatched up the vole. Pleased, Twanyleg set the morsel down and covered it with dirt.

The young warrior picked her way through the forest, following her friend's scent. Eventually, she found a mouse that had been buried in dirt. _Sorrelpatch,_ Twanyleg mused, and continued to look for her friend. Soon, she found a shrew and another mouse, all with Sorrelpatch's scent lingering around them.

Twanyleg was going even deeper into the forest, she noticed, and a shiver ran down her spine. She hardly ever came here, and if she did she made sure she was with somebody. A fox had been living here, and it had taken Shadowstar's, the leader before Redstar, last life. The fox had been driven out, so nobody had to worry about it. But, Twanyleg had always suppressed a cold feeling for it…

At the sound of rustling undergrowth, Twanyleg instinctively unsheathed her claws, and her fur rose up. She was surprised to see Sorrelpatch step out into the clearing with a gray and white tom following. There was a smug look on the tom's face.

Twanyleg let fur lay flat and shot Sorrelpatch a questioning look. Sorrelpatch replied, "Riverpaw was with Barktail and Featherheart and their apprentices. They said to take him with us. They also told me to keep an eye out for a fox. Barktail said they found its den a by the stream where we drink from."

Riverpaw spat with disgust. "There's probably no fox and if there is one, we probably won't see it!"

She curled her lip and quickly turned to face Riverpaw. "Don't act up, or I'll have Badgerclaw delay your warrior ceremony."

"You're not my mentor, so you can't boss me around! Besides, Badgerclaw would never delay my ceremony!" Riverpaw spat.

"He would if you were being mean to his sister," Sorrelpatch put in. "Now, come on; let's get this fresh-kill back to camp."

Riverpaw was grumbling, but he picked up the prey that Sorrelpatch had caught. As soon as they reached camp, they set the prey down on the fresh-kill pile. Twanyleg looked for Badgerclaw, but he was still probably in the nursery.

The fresh-kill pile was pitifully small. "Maybe we should go catch more prey," Sorrelpatch suggested, and Twanyleg nodded. "That would be a good idea."

The two she-cats began to pad away, Riverpaw raced to catch up with them. "I thought I was supposed to come with you!" Riverpaw growled. "You can't just leave me. And why isn't Badgerclaw coming?"

Sorrelpatch shrugged. "You didn't say anything. And, your mentor is staying with Petaltail for awhile so deal with it!"

Riverpaw grimaced, but kept quiet the rest of the way. Twanyleg stopped after they got a good distance from camp. As she let the scents of the forest sink in, Sorrelpatch prodded her side. "Should we split up?"

Twanyleg shook her head. It would be too dangerous with a fox running around. And knowing Riverpaw, he would probably go look for it just for fun. Twanyleg didn't want anybody to get hurt, especially not Riverpaw. If he was killed by the fox, it would risk Badgerclaw's trust for Twanyleg.

Twanyleg picked up the scent of rabbit, and scanned the forest floor. It was only a few tail-lengths away, and was clueless of the three cats. Twanyleg dropped into a crouch and began to creep forward. At the last minute, the rabbit noticed her and bounded away. Twanyleg sighed and began to pad the other way, but Riverpaw raced after the rabbit at top speed.

"Riverpaw, no!" Twanyleg yowled, but the lithe tom did not stop, so the two she-warriors chased after him.

Riverpaw was very quick on his paws, Twanyleg observed, and found she was panting hard. But, she pressed on. Then, Twanyleg stopped when she heard an earsplitting yowl and cats screeching. Barktail's patrol was being attacked! Twanyleg ran even harder and quicker. No one would hurt her father!

Twanyleg's heart seemed to stop when she saw what was attacking the patrol. Two large foxes, almost as big as dogs, were fighting with the cats. Barktail fought fiercely, scratching and biting the foxes as much as he could. Twanyleg gasped in horror when she saw one of the foxes fling her father off, and the long-furred tom landed several tail-lengths away. He did not move. Twanyleg flung herself into the skirmish, and swiped a fox across his muzzle. It yelped in pain, and Twanyleg bit down on its shoulder. Blood squirted out, and the fox ran away. The other fox was much larger though, and it did not seem to want to run away. It was hungry for blood. Featherheart lunged at its belly, only to be picked up by the fox and shaken, then thrown away from the fight. The other apprentices, Gorsepaw and Larkpaw, were failing to fight well without their mentors. It seemed as if they had already given up the fight.

"Sorrelpatch!" Twanyleg called out. "Riverpaw! Come help, please!"

But the two cats were already fighting, clawing and snarling and ripping the remaining fox's flesh apart. Strangely, Twanyleg admired the ferocity in the way Riverpaw battled the fox. He scratched its eyes, and then while the fox howled in pain, he tore at its throat. The fox retreated, and Gorsepaw and Larkpaw shook the dust off their pelt. Twanyleg shivered when she noticed a long gash on Gorsepaw's leg. The poor tom limped, and paused to lick away the blood.

Before she could start worrying about injuries, Twanyleg rushed over to her father, relieved to see that his chest was rising. She prodded him gently, and slowly Barktail got to his paws. He shook himself, and Twanyleg eyed the nick in his ear and the deep cut along his side. It showed that it had bled well; his fur was soaked in blood.

"Father, do you think you could walk back to camp?" Twanyleg asked, pressing against his side in case he needed support.

Barktail shook his head. "I'm fine. Most of this blood is from the foxes." Then he paused, and glanced over at Featherheart, who still had not moved. "But I think Featherheart might need the help. She's so small; she could have been killed when she was tossed aside."

Sorrelpatch was already helping the she-cat, who was still alive, but dazed. Twanyleg knew that Barktail would be concerned for the silver tabby's safety; she had been his apprentice. Riverpaw and the other apprentices padded over, and Gorsepaw and Larkpaw were still shaking. Twanyleg was impressed though, how calm and proud Riverpaw seemed. _Riverpaw's not a bad fighter, _she thought to herself. _If only he didn't have such a bad attitude, I may have wanted him as my apprentice!_

Sorrelpatch came over, struggling with the weight of Featherheart on her back, and Barktail offered to take Featherheart himself. Free of Featherheart, Sorrelpatch began to lick her wounds and Riverpaw did the same.

Soon, the group of cats began to head back. Gorsepaw still limped, so Twanyleg walked alongside him to help him keep up the pace. As they entered the camp, shocked mews came from the Clan. Stormfoot, Barktail's mate and Twanyleg's mother, ran over to the injured tom.

"Dear, are you alright?" she asked, licking his ear. Stormfoot was always frantic about injuries, especially if it was her kin that was hurt.

Barktail pushed her away. "I'm fine, Stormfoot! It's Featherheart that needs help!"

Stormfoot sighed, and padded over to her daughter. "What happened, Twanyleg?"

"Foxes, mother. I had been out hunting with Riverpaw and Sorrelpatch when we heard…. noises. We went to see what it was, and we saw that it was Barktail and his patrol fighting two foxes. We fought them off, so I don't think they'll come back." Twanyleg glanced at Riverpaw. "Riverpaw fought the best," she added quietly. "I almost wish that he was _my _apprentice."

Stormfoot dipped her head. "You'll have one soon enough, dear. Now let's get you to Ferntail to check those scratches."

As they entered the medicine cat den, Twanyleg thought again about how brave Riverpaw had been. He truly deserved his warrior name. Twanyleg could almost imagine how proud Badgerclaw would be, and fervently wished that she could feel the same pride when she had her own apprentice. _One day._


End file.
